Josie Lewis: 12 standout scented plants for perfume through April to October - Episode 256 Artwork

grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Welcome to grow, cook, eat, arrange, the weekly podcast from gardener, writer, teacher,and cook, Sarah Raven. Over the last two decades, Sarah has led the way by introducing a new kind of productive gardening which places emphasis on intense colour, sophistication, and achievability. Recorded at the beautiful Perch Hill Farm in Sussex, Sarah talks with special guests from across garden design, floristry, food, ecology, conservation, and more. Brimming with top tips and helpful hints, listen and learn how to create your most productive garden ever. You can find out more about the products discussed in each episode or get in touch by visiting the website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

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grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Josie Lewis: 12 standout scented plants for perfume through April to October - Episode 256

January 08, 2026 • Sarah Raven • Episode 256

For months of scent throughout the sunnier months, there are a whole host of nostalgic stalwarts and surprising new picks that are impossible to ignore.

Every garden deserves a perfume as captivating as the 12 plants at the top of Josie and Sarah’s list this week, as they laud the dozen best flowers to sow for unbeatable aroma from April through to October.

In this episode, discover:

How to choose standout scented plants that really earn their place for perfume and looks alike
Which specific varieties Sarah and Josie regularly rely on, and what makes each one special
Practical when-and-how tips for sowing, planting, and positioning scented plants to get fragrance from spring right through to autumn
Ways to use these plants as cut flowers, including vase-life tricks and how to make small bunches scent whole rooms
How to layer scent through borders, climbers, containers, and shrubs so that every corner of the garden offers a different perfumed moment

Products mentioned:

Trachelospermum jasminoides

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/trachelospermum-jasminoides

Sweet Pea 'Matucana'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lathyrus-odoratus-matucana

Narcissus 'Actaea'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/narcissus-actaea

Matthiola incana 'Pillow Talk'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/matthiola-incana-pillow-talk

Lonicera periclymenum 'Graham Thomas'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/lonicera-periclymenum-graham-thomas

Acidanthera murielae (syn. Gladiolus)